Commercial electrolyte products often contain dextrose, which is purported to improve electrolyte uptake in horses. Studies conducted at Kentucky Equine Research suggest that adding dextrose or starch to electrolyte mixes does not increase rate of absorption or retention of electrolytes, Dextrose may still have some value in improving the palatability of electrolyte mixes, but the […]

The aim of this study was to investigate the glucose dynamics in horses fed a high fat or moderate carbohydrate diet and to investigate if fish oil moderated these effects.

Low-carbohydrate diets are often recommended for horses with metabolic syndrome and high-fat diets are useful for managing horses suffering from RER and PSSM. It is questionable whether these types of diets are appropriate for normal, non-obese horses. This study was conducted to determine whether a moderate daily intake of carbohydrate from oats or a high […]

Pagan JD, Brown-Douglas CG and Huntington PJ (2012). Carbohydrates are well tolerated by most Horses. Proceedings of the Australasian Equine Science Symposium 4: 1-3

Assembled by the nutritionists and veterinarians at Kentucky Equine Research (KER), this easy-to-use guide includes practical feeding and management recommendations for the following diseases: Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) Equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) Exertional rhabdomyolysis (RER) Polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM) Malignant hyperthermia (MH) Hyperkalemic periodic paralysis (HYPP)

How can you tell whether your horse is too thin, too heavy, or in just the right body condition? This free downloadable chart prepared by Kentucky Equine Research uses pictures and directions to guide horse owners through the easy steps to match their horses to body condition scores from 1 (poor) to 9 (extremely fat).

Vitamin E can be obtained from natural or synthetic sources, but the chemical structure of each is different. The following studies were conducted to determine if synthetic and natural-source vitamin E have similar bioavailabilities when administered at equal IU doses and to determine if water-dispersible forms of vitamin E are more bioavailable than lipid-soluble forms. […]

Most healthy horses have body condition scores between 4 and 6. Healthy horses can be thinner or heavier, and certain life stages may prompt scores outside this range. As researchers study metabolic issues that influence body weight, it is becoming obvious that maintaining horses in moderate body condition may be much healthier than keeping them […]

Horses require both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in their diets. Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are intermediate in the formation of eicosanoids that have been shown to reduce inflammatory responses, support immune function, and enhance fertility. This study was conducted to compare the effect of supplementation with oil […]

Brown-Douglas CG, Huntington PJ, Pagan JD (2011). Growth of Horses. Chapter 29. Equine Reproduction 2nd Ed. Ed: AO McKinnon, EL Squires, WE Vaala, DD Varner. Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2011. Pp: 280-291 Find online.